AG Charges Suspects In Telemarketing Fraud Ring
Monday, June 25, 2012 at 4:27 PM
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Download MP3Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine says a group of scammers are accused of taking money from thousands of victims across 41 states. The scammers told homeowners they would facilitate a sale of unsellable land, but ended up running off with the money.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has charged 18 suspects in a multi-state telemarketing fraud ring. DeWine says altogether, the victimshave lost about $4 million to scammers who say they will facilitate a sale of unsellable land out west.
DEWINE: “Most of the empty, uninhabited land parcels had an assessed value between $500 and $3000. Nevertheless, these scammers called and convinced many owners that they had buyers—buyers who were willing to pay 10 to 30 times the assessed value. And they always had a story; the buyers were going to build power plants, casinos, a wildlife center, even an Olympic training facility. All the owners had to do was pay fees and closing costs to the scammers to finalize the transactions.”
DeWine says the scammers took those supposed fees and closing costs and ran off with the money. He says there were never any buyers.
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Economy, Miscellaneous, Aging/The Elderly, Community/Human Interest, Courts/Crime - Fire/Law Enforcement, Housing/Real Estate
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